I really doubt most non-LDS'ers know that Pioneer day is an ecumenical
celebration.

I can certainly understand its celebration by Utah
citizens, not unlike Alamo day in Texas. However, to call Pioneer day a
celebration of religious freedom is a bit of a stretch. And furthermore, did
anyone ask if the Native Americans wanted to celebrate the day?

"The early state legislators recognized the sacrifices made by people of all
faiths for religious freedom and chose to set this day aside as a state holiday
beneficial to all Utahns."

Cmon Greg. At least be honest.

Pioneer day is a Mormon themed holiday.

"They should ask
their employers to grant them the right to honor this day and give it the
respect it deserves."

Actually, when I lived and worked in Utah,
I did exactly the opposite. I petitioned the company to remove Pioneer day as a
holiday and replace it with a floating day. Our employees agreed and a change
was made.

Utah doesn't believe in "religious freedom" for
"all Americans". If they did, they wouldn't be fighting
tooth-and-nail against the right for LGBT Americans (many of whom are Christian)
to marry. Many churches believe that marriage for LGBT couples is fine and are
more than willing to perform them in their church. Utah's fight against
the religious freedom of these churches blows your argument completely out of
the water.

Most employers do not recognize Pioneer Day as a holiday. I will working on that
day just like any other work day, but I do appreciate the sacrifices made by the
pioneers to settle this state and create the wonderful place we live today.

If you
don't want to work Pioneer Day, then don't! But why should more any
government intervene? If government can't force corporations to provide
health care then why should government force corporations to provide days
off?

I remember, back in the good ol days, people worked all day
everyday. Now the lazy and entitled want health care, salaries, breaks, and days
off.

Sheesh. It's amazing that this country hasn't imploded
already. Days off? This ain't France, hun!

You're dang right. You don't have to be LDS to appreciate what the
pioneers did.

They left the United States to find Religious Freedom
(they were being murdered, raped, and had an official state sponsored
"extermination order" out for them in the United States. Pioneer day is
VERY MUCH about Religious Freedom.

They left for good reason. By the
time America caught up with them again, American had matured a bit, and could
tolerate the Mormons again. Otherwise... we wouldn't have become a
State.

You SHOULD have complete Religious Freedom in Utah (and I
think you do). Nobody's keeping you from going to ANY church you want, or
persecuting you for living your faith.

=========

To all
those who think Pioneer Day is a huge travesty... Massachusetts has legal
holidays for Patriots Day (April 21) and Bunker Hill Day (June 17th). They have
parades, fireworks, family gatherings, Boston Marathon, etc, these holidays
(just like we have on Pioneer Day).... Are these anti-Pioneer Day people just
as anti-Patriot Day? Or is it just an anti-Mormon thing for these people??

Every State has their heritage and their holidays to help us remember
our heritage.

As someone who studies and teaches history for a living, I
find your version of history quite unfounded and actually pretty disturbing.
America's maturation? Huh? So our nation has been maturing with the years?
What about now? Our congress seems less mature than a class of jr. High
schoolers!

The history of this issue is pretty clear. Mormons were
driven out of the United States for their rejection of traditional marriage and
practice or what was deemed as perverse, polygamy.

It wasn't
until the Utah territory agreed to end the practice of polygamy that Utahns were
granted statehood into the United States. I have several websites that can teach
you about this if you wish. Just let me know and I'll give you their names
(since I can't post any links).

We are WAY more tolerant today.... More tolerant of Mormons AND polygamy
(which are not the same thing).

========

You study and
TEACH history for a living!... and you are "DISTURBED" that anyone would
think America has matured and is more tolerant? I am disturbed that someone
like you would be TEACHING history to my children!

You seem to
actually know very little about history (that doesn't support your anti-LDS
agenda). America HAS matured since the 1800s. We ARE more tolerant of other
people (other faiths, other races, other nationalities, other lifestyles, you
name it, we are MORE tolerant than we were back then).

WHAT are you
teaching our children???

That "Mormons were driven out of the
United States for their rejection of traditional marriage and practice or what
was deemed as perverse, polygamy"???

Polygamy wasn't the
reason mobs were assaulting and killing Mormons and burning their homes and
businesses. Polygamy wasn't why Gov Bogs issued the "Extermination
order". It was their FAITH. A faith that is so well tolerated in 2012
America that a MORMON can run for President... and almost win!

My, my, but there is no religious tolerance in Utah. After reading some of these
comments I might have thought that I was transported back in time to Illinois or
Missouri. The Mormons were driven out of those States. They didn't leave
their farms and homes willingly. They were driven out at gun point.

For the doubters who believe that they can mock and persecute people who
believe in God, they might want to read the history of Stillman Pond given by
President James E. Faust in "The Refiner's Fire". Brother Pond
lost nine of his eleven children and his wife after being driven out of Nauvoo
at bayonet point.

Now we sit in comfortable homes. We drive on
beautiful streets. We enjoy everything that those pioneers built for us - and
some of those living in Utah seem to wish that they could drive out the Mormons
again.

Nauvoo had a population larger than Chicago's. Nauvoo
had brick homes and well managed farms. Nauvoo also had envious neighbors who
wanted something for nothing.

Henderson....For someone who teaches History, you sure missed the boat
with why the Saints were forced from "The United States"

They
were not forced to leave because of Traditional Marriage, they were forced out
because of their religious belief which includes that God, Jesus and the Holy
spirit is three different personages. That the "Mormon Block" would undo
their loosen their Political Power both on the state and federal levels. The LDS
members were a bit exclusive and never really made efforts to include the non
LDS people in their gatherings(with some good reasons). But most of all, they
were forced because the Saints cultivated, and developed producing farms that
"Some" inhabitants of the states wanted for themselves.

The
issue of Polygamy never came up until Brigham Young asked for statehood in
around 1857 or so. Then because of the Anti Mormon feelings still felt, they
made the Edmunds Tucker act.

But I do agree with you that America was
not maturing like 2 bits originally mentioned, far from it... Johnson Army comes
to mind of the top of my mind.

Contrary to what you believe, teachers don't teach
whatever they want. We actually follow the Utah State Core. If you wish to
educate yourself in what that is, google "UEN." There is nothing in the
state core that describes the westward expansion of then Mormons as being
triggered unfairly by Mormon faith. If you have a problem with this, then
please, contact your local representative.

Lastly, as a history
teacher, I believe in teaching history from credible sources. Unfortunately, for
you, what you've heard in Sunday school is not a credible historic source.
Is it fine to find personal religious comfort in these teachings? Absolutely.
But as public educators we are bound to stick with credible historic sources and
not let our personal religious beliefs interfere with our teaching.

After taking several history courses from BYU and UVU, I have yet to find a
single peer reviewed and credible source which indicates that Mormons were
kicked out for their "faith." Their faith included a marriage practice
that was illegal by American law.

That is fact.

Their
agreeing to end polygamy, not to stop practicing their faith, led to their
statehood.

You really don't know your own
history very well. Many Mormons STAYED in MO and had no problems with the
locals at all (Think Emma Smith and her group, the RLDS). They had no problems
because they rejected polygamy. If the rest of Mormonism had done the same,
they'd have had no problems as well. You also forgot to mention the
atrocities that Mormons were involved in at the time leading to their "being
driven" out.

Of course, with all the white-washing that Mormon
history got up until recently, it isn't surprising that your knowledge of
your history is somewhat skewed.